Talking about the ongoing protests by the country's ace wrestlers at Jantar Mantar, the president of the Indian Olympic Association and Rajya Sabha member from BJP, PT Usha, said that wrestlers staging protests on streets amounts to indiscipline and tarnishes the country's image.
Notably, the country's top wrestlers have been protesting since Sunday, April 23. They are demanding public disclosure of the findings of the panel that investigated the sexual harassment allegations against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Following PT Usha's remarks, a number of prominent personalities have expressed their views on the matter. Among these high-profile names are former Indian cricket team captain Kapil Dev, Olympic gold-medallist Abhinav Bindra and Neeraj Chopra, and MPs Mahua Moitra, and Shashi Tharoor.
Kapil Dev
The captain of the 1983 cricket World Cup-winning Indian team, Kapil Dev, shared a story on his Instagram handle on Thursday, April 27 asking, "Will they ever get justice?"
Shashi Tharoor
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor tweeted in support of protesting wrestlers. He said, "It is does not become you to disparage the justified protests of your fellow sportspersons in the face of repeated & wanton sexual harassment. Their standing up for their rights does not "tarnish the image of the nation". Ignoring their concerns — instead of hearing them out, investigating them & taking just action — does."
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor tweeted in support of protesting wrestlers. He said, "It is does not become you to disparage the justified protests of your fellow sportspersons in the face of repeated & wanton sexual harassment. Their standing up for their rights does not "tarnish the image of the nation". Ignoring their concerns — instead of hearing them out, investigating them & taking just action — does."
Dear @PTUshaOfficial, it is does not become you to disparage the justified protests of your fellow sportspersons in the face of repeated & wanton sexual harassment. Their standing up for their rights does not “tarnish the image of the nation”. Ignoring their concerns — instead of… — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) April 28, 2023
Neeraj Chopra
Olympic gold medallist and ace Javelin thrower, Neeraj Chopra also expressed his support for protesting wrestlers. He said, "It hurts me to see our athletes on the streets demanding justice. They have worked hard to represent our great nation and make us proud. Neeraj Chopra added, "pertaining authorities must take quick action in order to ensure that justice is served."
Abhinav Bindra
2008 Olympics gold medallist Abhinav Bindra posted a tweet and said, "As athletes, we train hard every day to represent our country on the international stage. It is deeply concerning to see our athletes finding it necessary to protest on the streets regarding the allegations of harassment in the Indian wrestling administration. My heart goes out to all those who have been affected. We must ensure that this issue is handled properly, with the athletes' concerns heard and addressed fairly and independently. This incident highlights the crucial need for a proper safeguarding mechanism that can prevent harassment and ensure justice for those affected. We must work towards creating a safe and secure environment for all athletes to thrive in."
As athletes, we train hard every day to represent our country on the international stage. It is deeply concerning to see our athletes finding it necessary to protest on the streets regarding the allegations of harassment in the Indian wrestling administration. My heart goes out…
